No progress and other problems

[eac]

Flat feet will hinder your fencing considerably until you get orthotics. Go to an orthopedist and ask him if you pronate (which is to say, flat feet cause you to walk funny and put stress on your knees and generally be unhappy). If you do, he will give you orthotics, and then your fencing will get way better.

[Inquartata]

This is part of the reason "overtraining" is so misunderstood. People use it when what they mean is "injured themselves".

Maybe so.

From one of the few discussions by an actual expert I was able to find:

"Overtraining syndrome frequently occurs in athletes who are training for competition or a specific event and train beyond the body's ability to recover. Athletes often exercise longer and harder so they can improve. But without adequate rest and recovery, these training regimens can backfire, and actually decrease performance. Conditioning requires a balance between overload and recovery. Too much overload and/or too little recovery may result in both physical and psychology symptoms of overtraining syndrome."

And

" * Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
* Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
* Pain in muscles and joints
* Sudden drop in performance
* Insomnia
* Headaches
* Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
* Decrease in training capacity / intensity
* Moodiness and irritability
* Depression
* Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
* Decreased appetite
* Increased incidence of injuries.
* A compulsive need to exercise"

Some of those sound like what may be behind people saying "I'm burned out on fencing. I'm going to take a few months off".

OTOH, notice the penultimate symptom listed...

[Batlleth]

But that advice should also be regarded with "healthy" skepticism. Or so I have been told many times, when, for instance, I "advise" people to skip drills and just bout. Because, you know, "experts" say otherwise. Or when I "advise" people that canting their tangs accomplishes nothing. Because, after all, "the experts" all know better...

Will you be my coach?

Jason

[Batlleth]

If you want to work on fitness, cross-training is the answer. Pure fencing workouts, no matter how many of them you do, won't give you what you're looking for.

You should give one of our club's mid-80's Red Army calisthenics regimens a shot before making such a blanket generalization.

Jason

[Emma]

You should give one of our club's mid-80's Red Army calisthenics regimens a shot before making such a blanket generalization.

Jason

Calisthenics =/= fencing, Comrade.

[Inquartata]

Will you be my coach?

Jason

First....get started on those cars. Wax on, wax off. Later, paint the fence.